KDWB song parody angers some Hmong (w/audio)

The home page for the Dave Ryan In The Morning Show, as of Thursday afternoon.

A song parody that recently aired on KDWB's "Dave Ryan in the Morning Show" has created a stir.

During the station's morning show last week, listeners were asked to send in title suggestions for a song that the show's personalities would have less than an hour to write. Steve "Steve-O" LaTart, the show's producer, said a Hmong listener texted in the title "30 Hmongs in a House" and LaTart proceeded to pen words set to Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven." In his parody, LaTart sang about how Hmongs live like "sardines" with no room for a couch because they sleep on the floor. He also made reference to Hmong women getting pregnant by 16 with "seven kids by 23" and "over the hill by 30."

By Wednesday morning, the show's Facebook page was filled with comments about the song.

When asked to comment on the controversial parody, LaTart referred all questions to the station's program director, Rob Morris. Morris did not return Pioneer Press calls, but this statement was posted shortly before noon Wednesday on the "Dave Ryan in the Morning Show" Facebook page.

"KDWB-FM and the Dave Ryan in the Morning Show are very proud that members of the Hmong community are some of our most loyal listeners and fans.

"Our listeners understand that The Dave Ryan in the Morning show is a comedy show meant to entertain, and that much of its content is parody. While we've received positive feedback from many Hmong listeners who let us know that they found the song in question very humorous, we apologize to anyone we may have inadvertently offended, as this was never our intent.

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Lee Pao Xiong, director of the Center for Hmong Studies at Concordia University, said he was disappointed in the popular radio morning show.

"I think in this day and age we should not tolerate that kind of thing," said Xiong. "I am surprised a mainstream radio station like KDWB — particularly when you have a lot of young people listening — is basically endorsing racism. That's unbelievable and I'm just shocked by it."

Xiong said he's a regular listener of the station, particularly when he's driving his two boys, 7 and 13, to school in the morning. But not anymore.

"Just because of this, I don't want to listen to it," he said. "If that's the kind of trash that comes out, I don't want my kids listening to it. They (KDWB) need to be responsible and have better judgment."

On the show's Facebook fan page there was plenty of discussion about the song. One woman said she is Hmong and thought it was funny. While someone else said the song was validating Hmong stereotypes "in the minds of those already ignorant and racist." A reply from the show under that posting read, "We're obviously making a joke based on the stereotype which we know is not true."